Agatha Trunchbull | Roald Dahl Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Much too good for children! ” –Miss Trunchbull Miss Agatha Trunchbull is the primary antagonist of the novel Matilda and its 1996 film adaptation . Ms. Trunchbull is depicted as fat-sized who wears her hair in a bun at the upper rear end and her outfit is a bottle-green tight pants and a black belt with a silver buckle.She is a harsh, arrogant, psychopathic, extremely cruel educator and tyrant who terrorizes children, and most of all dislikes children and states that she was glad that she was never a child or had fun. She makes a weekly visit to every classroom, and tends to take over, but mostly Miss Honey's, probably due to her being her niece. Her idea of detention is to put children into a horrific torture device known as the Chokey, a tall narrow cupboard in a drippy pipe with jagged edges where the walls have broken glass and nails sticking out, like an iron maiden. She is also strict on rules where she did not allow girls to have pigtails. She also does not like boys with long hair.

She once threw a girl named Amanda Thripp over the fence by her pigtails, forced a boy named Bruce Bogtrotter to eat a whole 18-inch cake after stating that he stole her own personal cake and once put a boy into a terrible fatal state by throwing him out a 5 story window due to the fact that he was eating Licorice Allsorts while she was talking to his class. Matilda finally receives a cunning form of revenge, which throws her into permanent hysteria. It is unknown what happened to her afterwards. In the 1996 film, her violence towards children was somewhat mitigated, though she can be considered to be murderous towards adults, as she threatened to kill Matilda's dad for selling her a defective car. Miss Trunchbull moved in with Dr. Honey to help him take care of Miss Honey when she was 2 after Mrs. Honey died. Contents A clever young girl, whom she considers as a liar and a scoundrel. She has also accused her of things that she did not do. Jennifer Honey Edit Miss Trunchbull's niece (her step-sister 's daughter).

When she took over the mansion after Miss Honey became an orphan, Miss Trunchbull considered to be very mean who would treat children very badly. She has also been shown to take over her class often, and put up rather insulting signs such as, "IF YOU ARE HAVING FUN, YOU ARE NOT LEARNING". It is mentioned in the film that, when Miss Honey was seven years old, the Trunchbull broke her arm. In the musical Miss Honey is born shortly before her mom dies in a Circus Accident. Jennifer Honey's mother Edit The father of Miss. Honey and Miss. Trunchbull's late brother in law who invited her to live with him, out of all Miss. Trunchbull's victums, he is the man whom she actually killed instead of just injuring him. Miss Honey remembers Dr. Honey a little bit. In the musical Dr. Honey and his wife are Circus performers and Miss Trunchbull is their manager. Matilda's father Edit A used car salesman and owner of Wormwood Motors . Agatha had asked him for an inexpensive and reliable car when she stopped to buy a car.

She later realized that he cheated her after the car she bought started breaking down and punished his daughter by locking her in the Chokey until Miss Honey rescued her. When the transmission started going haywire, she ran her car back home, and then ran back into her mansion in a flash, and then phoned him and threatened to sue him and burn down his showroom, and/or kill him. Like Mr. Wormwood, she states that adults are always right and children are always wrong. Personality Edit Agatha Trunchbull is shown to be a malicious, sarcastic, strong, arrogant, dangerous, brutal, sadistic and cruel psychopath. Besides a passionate hate for children, she is also power-crazed and greedy, trying to maintain a position of power in any way she can. She is also an abusive sadist, who sees violence as the best way when it comes to disciplining children, and keeps a vicious, makeshift torture chamber (which she calls the Chokey) in her office.

She shows incredible degrees of hyper-paranoia, as she is terrified when Matilda raids her house and also mortified when she sees the portrait of Magnus, a man she probably murdered to inherit the estate, takes the place of her own portrait over the fireplace. Agatha is something of a ruthless disciplinarian who implies absurdly strict rules in her school, which include the banning of pigtails. In the film, the Trunchbull displays something of a God complex, viewing herself as a woman in absolute power (and believing that she has rights over everyone and everything). However, it is revealed that, behind her "cruel woman" facade, Agatha is shown, deep down, to be a very fearful person, who is terrified of ghosts and the supernatural. In the film, she is also shown to be superstitious; this is shown in one scene when Miss Honey and Matilda see Agatha getting scared of a black cat, and when Matilda asks about Agatha being scared of cats, Miss Honey replies, "Black cats. She's very superstitious".

Behind the Scenes Edit Her fate in the film differs from the book in that, in the book, she is thrown into permanent hysteria by Matilda's cunning revenge and is never seen again. But it is more climatic in the film, in which case whilst Matilda is using the chalk to impersonate Miss Honey's father threatening the Trunchbull from beyond the grave, she makes the windows rattle and the other objects act peculiarly in the room, succeeding in intimidating the Trunchbull. The Trunchbull is fatally traumatized by the ordeal and briefly faints. When she awakens, she loses her sanity completely, runs amok through the school, and ambushes a few of Matilda's classmates, each time thwarted by Matilda's telekinetic powers. Then the entire faculty of schoolchildren, including Bruce Bogtrotter, bombard her with objects such as books, toys and lunchboxes, most of which open when they land on her. The Trunchbull is pursued savagely out of the school, where she retreats into her car and hurtles out of the school, still chased by the angry mob of schoolchildren. The narrator comments that the Trunchbull was never seen again.

Matilda (1996) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable. Director: From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video ON DISC a list of 29 titles created 17 Nov 2011 a list of 25 titles created 06 Oct 2013 a list of 30 titles created 21 Apr 2014 a list of 38 titles created 27 Jul 2014 a list of 37 titles created 28 Aug 2015 Search for " Matilda " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. 3 wins & 7 nominations.

See more awards » Videos A paranormal expert and his daughter bunk in an abandoned house populated by three mischievous ghosts and one friendly one. Director: Brad Silberling A woman kidnaps puppies to kill them for their fur, but various animals then gang up against her and get their revenge in slapstick fashion. Director: Stephen Herek When two kids find and play a magical board game, they release a man trapped for decades in it and a host of dangers that can only be stopped by finishing the game. Director: Joe Johnston After a bitter divorce, an actor disguises himself as a female housekeeper to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife. Director: Chris Columbus The Little family adopt a charming young mouse named Stuart, but the family cat wants rid of him. Director: Rob Minkoff Identical twins Annie and Hallie, separated at birth and each raised by one of their biological parents, later discover each other for the first time at summer camp and make a plan to bring their wayward parents back together. Director: Nancy Meyers In a desperate attempt to win a basketball match and earn their freedom, the Looney Tunes seek the aid of retired basketball champion, Michael Jordan.

Director: Joe Pytka A governess uses magic to rein in the behavior of seven ne'er-do-well children in her charge. Director: Kirk Jones When Captain Hook kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to challenge his old enemy. Director: Steven Spielberg 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6.7/10 X After three centuries, three witch sisters are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night, and it is up to two teenagers, a young girl, and an immortal cat to put an end to their reign of terror once and for all. Director: Kenny Ortega An orphan, who lives with his two cruel aunts, befriends anthropomorphic bugs who live inside a giant peach, and they embark on a journey to New York City. Director: Henry Selick When a boy learns that a beloved killer whale is to be killed by the aquarium owners, the boy risks everything to free the whale. Director: Simon Wincer Edit Storyline A grouchy couple are parents to a very sweet girl, Matilda.

Unlike her bratty brother and mean parents, Matilda becomes a very sweet and extremely intelligent 6 year old girl, who is very keen to go to school and read books. After a while, her parents send her to school with the worst principal in the world, a very sweet teacher, and good friends. While trying to put up with her parents' and principal's cruelty, she starts to unwittingly unleash telekinetic powers, destroying a television and making a newt fly onto the principal. With enough practice, Matilda starts to learn to control her telekinetic powers and soon using them on her principal so she can drive her away from the school. Written by anonomys A little magic goes a long way. See more » Genres: Motion Picture Rating ( MPAA ) Rated PG for elements of exaggeRated meanness and ridicule, and for some mild language | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 2 August 1996 (USA) See more » Also Known As: Roald Dahl's Matilda See more » Filming Locations: $8,209,000 (USA) (2 August 1996) Gross: Did You Know?

Trivia As a child, Miss Honey had a doll named Liccy Doll. One of the producers of the film is author Roald Dahl 's widow, Liccy Dahl . See more » Goofs The FBI agents' camcorder opens twice. See more » Quotes [asked to sign Matilda's adoption papers] Zinnia Wormwood : You're the only daughter I ever had, Matilda. And I never understood you, not one little bit... Who's got a pen? "A wonderful and partly scary adaption of Roald Dahl's classic novel" 12 September 2004 | by simon-trek (Sydney, Australia) – See all my reviews I can't say 'Matilda' was one of my favorite Roald Dahl books as a child but the movie adaption isn't that bad. Matilda is a very bright and intelligent for a girl of her age. She's quite different from her grouchy and ignorant parents. Danny DeVito was good as Matilda's grouchy father, he often plays very grouchy characters. Mrs Trunchbull is as scary as she is in the book. She's worse than mean. She's a deranged and aggressive monster! She's an absolute monster!

She hates children and does nothing except bully and intimidate them. As for Mrs Jennifer Honey she's the exact opposite of Mrs Trunchbull. She's kindest and sweetest teacher you could find. She's like a mother to her school children and tries to protect them, but unfortunately she to is intimidated by Mrs Trunchbull. So when Matilda develops these telekinetic powers, it is up to her to teach Mrs Trunchbull an ultimate lesson. I really liked the relationship Matilda has with Mrs Honey. It reminds me of the relationships I had with certain teachers at school. So I would say this movie is both frightening and touching at the same time. 30 of 37 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Matilda - Roald Dahl Roald Dahl Published in 1988 Synopsis Roald Dahl's Matilda won the Children's Book Award shortly after it was published in 1988, and it has continued to delight audiences ever since. Background Background Matilda Wormwood is only five years old, but she is a genius. Unfortunately her parents are too stupid to even notice.

Worse, her horrible headmistress Miss Trunchbull is a bully who makes life difficult for Matilda's teacher, Miss Honey, and her friends. But what Miss Trunchbull doesn't know is that Matilda has a trick or two up her sleeve... Matilda won the Children's Book Award shortly after it was published in 1988, and it has continued to delight audiences ever since. Early drafts of the story were very different to the one we now know. At first, Matilda was a wicked girl who eventually used her powers to help her teacher solve her financial problems - by fixing a horse race. In the end, though, it became the magical story now known to children the world over. In 1996 a film version of Matilda was released. Directed by Danny DeVito - who also starred as Mr Wormwood, alongside Mara Wilson as Matilda and Pam Ferris as Miss Trunchbull - the film went on to become a cult classic. In 2010, The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Matilda The Musical, written by Dennis Kelly and with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin, opened in Stratford-upon-Avon, UK, to great critical acclaim.

The production transferred to London's West End a year later, and in spring 2013 the show opened on Broadway. Matilda was Roald Dahl's last long children's book. Find out more about the period in Roald Dahl's life during Matilda was published Matilda Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 94 out of 108 people found the following review useful: Utterly Fantastic This movie is an absolutely wonderful fantasy. I totally loved it. The dialog is brilliant. The humor is both bold, and subtle. The characters are archetypal. Matilda perfectly captures what it is like to be an intelligent person, trapped in the body of a child, and surrounded by idiots who control far too much of your life. The notion that bad people (even adults) deserve to be punished for their evil ways (even by children) is truly subversive. Any child who suffered through the countless typical abuses of unthinking, uncaring, and ignorant parents will truly love this movie. Those same unthinking, uncaring, and ignorant parents will probably hate this movie, unless they are wise enough to see the truth behind the fantasy. Despite the difficulties Matilda faces, like all good fantasies this movie has a wonderfully happy ending.

I wish the same for all. Was the above review useful to you? 76 out of 91 people found the following review useful: the best "family movie" i've ever seen! from amsterdam, netherlands 4 September 1999 personally, i hate nauseatingly cute family movies, but this movie is great! I went to see it in the theatre because i had read the book, but i thought that it wouldn't even come close to it. But you know what? I enjoyed this movie more than the novel! I thought it wouldn't be faithful to the book and that it would have turned out to be one of those typical kids' movies, but there's nothing "cute" about mrs. Trunchbull! This has got to be one of my favorite films ever and it IS the best childrens' movie ever made. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who has his heart in the right place! Was the above review useful to you?

74 out of 94 people found the following review useful: What a wonderful film - Not Dull for DAHL from United Kingdom 27 December 2004 "I'm smart your dumb, I'm big your little, I'm right your wrong and there's nothing you can do about it!" What a catchphrase  I could use that on my brother sometime but anyhow this was an influence on Matilda that made her strong and prepared her for her turbulent time ahead at school, especially with a nasty head teacher 'Miss Trunchbull'. Roald Dahl had written this book to show that a small girl like Matilda can show courage and get herself out of a bad situation, once the film had been made, everything I can remember from the book was alive with a sweet girl to a lazy Mum and Dad (played by Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman). I give this film 10/10. Was the above review useful to you? 58 out of 69 people found the following review useful: Americanized, but still good from Colorado 12 December 2002 One of my most highly-anticipated films, 'Matilda' is both a treat and a disappointment.

The casting of Mara Wilson as the title character is ingenious - the little girl exudes the qualities set forth in Roald Dahl's classic. Unfortunately, the filmmakers apparently could not resist the urge to alter the book, in which Matilda is British and lives in a small village. The movie version, of course, depicts Matilda as American, but what's worse, that she lives in a larger area. This detracts somewhat from the bucolic setting of the book, although not enough to create a starkly different environment. The casting of Embeth Davidtz as "Miss Honey" was another great choice. While not what I had pictured from the book, Miss Davidtz captures the warmth and energy of the young teacher. Pam Ferris, as the grotesque "Miss Trunchbull," is simply outstanding. Both her demeanor and her looks bring the book's character alive. 'Matilda,' while straying from the book's true form, is still highly enjoyable to watch, especially for those of us who have read the Dahl's masterpiece. Those who enjoy 'Matilda' should also enjoy the movie adaptation of ``The Witches," another Roald Dahl classic. Was the above review useful to you?

37 out of 38 people found the following review useful: A Quirky and Wonderful Slice of Magic & Youth 28 September 2004 Hi hi! Danny DeVito touches on the viewpoint of children - and their imaginations - in this fantasy come to life: MATILDA. Who of us as children didn't see the world in the powerful images of youthful, innocent eyes? The horrific Agatha Trunchbull, the kindly librarian, Mrs. Phelps? The annoying big brother 'Mikey', or the wondrous, perfect teacher, Miss Honey? Who of us as children didn't see that some things in life were wrong and wanted to put them right - if only we had magic powers! Life as a child is fantastic and happy and exciting and scary. And in MATILDA we see all elements of childhood shine through by the intentionally ridiculous, over-the-top performances of Danny DeVito (Matilda's Dad), Rhea Perlman (Mom), and Pam Ferris (Ms. Trunchbull, the principal). And yes, there is a scary element to the movie: The chase in Ms.

Trunchbull's house; the "Chokey"; the spooky scene of Matilda taking back "Lizzie Doll" from Ms. Trunchbull while "haunting" her house. But this is the scariness of youth; shown from a safe distance for even the young audience. And despite the scariness - which kids KNOW exists - Matilda and Miss Honey and all their friends are victorious. Danny DeVito has demonstrated a lesson well-learned from the Disney animated films of yesteryear: The more evil the villain, the more noble and victorious the heroine. To miss seeing MATILDA is to miss a heart-warming, hand-clapping, magical trip back to your childhood fantasies and ideals. Was the above review useful to you? 42 out of 51 people found the following review useful: Best Roald Dahl adaptation from United States 31 May 2005 I believe this film best represents the themes behind Roald Dahl's rather subversive children's literature.

It follows the continuity of both "The Witches" and "James and the Giant Peach," casting repulsive Trunchbull into the roles of Grand High Witch and repulsive evil aunt, with a bit of the ogre (especially during the chase in Magnus House). It's also pretty obvious that J.K. Rowling had read Roald Dahl long before she wrote the first of her Harry Potter books. I find it very odd how few people have noted Roald Dahl's literary influence on the spate of children's fantasy authors today. All the elements for Harry are here, in Matilda, right down to her unpleasant 'Muggle' family -- the Wormwoods -- and a brutish, Dudley-like brother. And for the record, Mara Wilson does a good job! Was the above review useful to you? 42 out of 53 people found the following review useful: Something Good Every Now & Then from Buffalo, NY 19 June 2001 Critics always get away with giving a lot of good movies the bad ratings. Matilda was one of them. I happened to think Matilda was particularly great.

Mara Wilson did good as the title character, except on some levels she acted more like a kid, while more of an over-sophisticated teen on other levels. The only thing missing in her future is a part as the star character in yet another Alice in Wonderland project. Pam Ferris seemingly got the part of Ms. Truchbull for an obvious reason. No offense, but she's UGLY!! That best fit Ms. Trunchbull's personality. Danny DeVito was sort of trying to put a one-man act in the film. He was Matilda's dad, the director, and one of the producers. The other actors/actresses, Rhea Perlman, Embeth Davidtz, Brian Levinson, etc. did good as those they were acting as. That's what made this movie so wonderful. The casting was the right price. Again, the producers decided to wait until the original story writer passed away before making a movie from one of his works. The British story was somehow modified into an American perspective. One thing most people don't understand is how advanced Matilda's content is, even though it was probably intended for kids.

That doesn't make it a bad thing; movies have to appeal to everyone in general, not just little kids. But other than that, Matilda was a real treat. Was the above review useful to you? 30 out of 37 people found the following review useful: "A wonderful and partly scary adaption of Roald Dahl's classic novel" from Sydney, Australia 12 September 2004 I can't say 'Matilda' was one of my favorite Roald Dahl books as a child but the movie adaption isn't that bad. Matilda is a very bright and intelligent for a girl of her age. She's quite different from her grouchy and ignorant parents. Danny DeVito was good as Matilda's grouchy father, he often plays very grouchy characters. Mrs Trunchbull is as scary as she is in the book. She's worse than mean. She's a deranged and aggressive monster! She's an absolute monster! She hates children and does nothing except bully and intimidate them. As for Mrs Jennifer Honey she's the exact opposite of Mrs Trunchbull. She's kindest and sweetest teacher you could find.

She's like a mother to her school children and tries to protect them, but unfortunately she to is intimidated by Mrs Trunchbull. So when Matilda develops these telekinetic powers, it is up to her to teach Mrs Trunchbull an ultimate lesson. I really liked the relationship Matilda has with Mrs Honey. It reminds me of the relationships I had with certain teachers at school. So I would say this movie is both frightening and touching at the same time. Was the above review useful to you? 21 out of 22 people found the following review useful: One of our favorite family movies from United States 4 June 2004 My daughters (ranging from age 9-16) have loved this movie for several years. I am normally a very sensitive person and wasn't disturbed by the macabre tone of the movie. Somehow the movie remains upbeat as Matilda is able to find someone who will love her even though her parents don't appreciate her. Young Mara Wilson shines as Matilda. Each time I watch this I am amazed at her talents at such a young age. I haven't heard of her making any films lately...I hope this is by her own choice.

In addition, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Pam Ferris, and Embeth Davidtz all were wonderful in their roles as Matilda's parents, principal and teacher, respectively. I have read the book, and yes, it is different as far as the setting goes, but in my opinion, they've kept the main ideas quite intact. Movies are almost never the same as books, because by definition they can't be. We have enjoyed watching this as a family for at least 5 years now and will continue to. I just wish they'd release a special edition DVD with COMMENTARY. I'd love to hear from Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman about the making of this someday classic movie. At least it is in my family. My criterion for a classic? We are constantly quoting its script to each other. UPDATE: They DID release a special edition. It does have some fine extras, but I have to wonder why in the world didn't they offer a widescreen edition? That is a big disappointment. Was the above review useful to you? 20 out of 30 people found the following review useful: Relatively clean family movie, don't see that too much anymore.

29 November 2004 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Kids nothing, I am 22 and I still love this movie. Unfortunate that it does not get played more often. I really can't think of any kid who would not want to be Matilda in this movie. Though she basically gets treated like dirt her whole life, she discovers that she can get even. To this day, the Trenchbolt lady still freaks me out. The scene where she throws the girl over the fence is burned into my brain. Really scares me just how much Matilda's family reminds me of my idiot cousin who had two kids by the time she was my age. The moral of the story is this, having kids you don't want is never a good idea. It will wreck your life, and it will wreck your kid's life. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 17: Matilda (character) | Roald Dahl Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Matilda has black hair. Matilda's school is Crunchem Hall Primary which is run by a fearsome middle-aged woman named Miss Trunchbull. The school is large and black, with about 250 students.

Because of Miss Trunchbull, it has a physically dark, dingy, depressing atmosphere. Matilda makes friends with many other students, particularly a girl called Lavender. While at school, Miss Trunchbull terrorizes and abuses the children, from throwing a child out the window for eating sweets in class to locking children in a cupboard with nails and glass in the walls and door, known as the " Chokey ", for many of the unfair rules. She even forces one student, Bruce Bogtrotter, to eat an entire chocolate cake by himself as "punishment" for allegedly sneaking a slice from the school kitchen. Matilda lives with Miss Honey, a teacher at the school after her parents flee the country to escape the police, as her father had sold stolen car parts. A man named Mr. Trilby is made headmaster of Crunchem Hall after Miss Trunchbull's departure at the conclusion of the novel. In the film, Miss Honey is made headmistress after Miss Trunchbull Early skills One and a half years old - Linguistic skill and vocabulary on par with that of an adult's (called a "noisy chatterbox" by her parents and told sharply that little girls should be "seen and not heard").

Three years old - As evidence of extreme intelligence, Matilda demonstrates amateur reading skills. Four years old - As proof of extreme intelligence, Matilda soon develops reading skills on par with that of an adult's book. Powers and abilities Edit Besides being very smart for her age, Matilda has extraordinary powers. Although never mentioned in the book or movie, the name of the ability Matilda has is called telekinesis, and seems to peak whenever something angers Matilda. It's first discovered when the glass from which Miss Trunchbull drinks tips over and a newt (which Lavender caught in her garden and placed in the water pitcher) jumps onto Miss Trunchbull's shirt. The Trunchbull, who tends to speculate with no backup evidence, accuses Matilda of running out and tipping the glass over when she wasn't moving. When Matilda says that she didn't do it, a verbal argument between Matilda and Miss Trunchbull ensues, which lasts for about a minute. Miss Trunchbull ends the argument by telling Matilda to sit down and be quiet. At home, Matilda practices using her powers with a cigar, learning fine control of her abilities.

The last time that Matilda uses her powers is when she writes quite cheekily on the chalkboard while posing as the ghost of Miss Honey's father, ending Miss Trunchbull's reign over the school. In the film, she ends up also using her powers before she knew she had them, such as causing the television to explode when her father was forcing her to watch it, and making some food that was falling land perfectly on her plate. While the use of her powers in the novel was limited to an object that she was directly concentrating on, she uses the powers when she needs them in order to help someone or teach them a lesson. In the film, it isn't mentioned if her powers have limitations. (Although her powers are somewhat similiar to Magneto from X-Men, he is using magnetic fields or manipulating them to move objects, while it's unknown how Matilda does it.) However, in the end of the movie, she was able to move a book and start a car without any problems. It is possible that if she had plenty of practice, she could be able to move larger objects. In the musical, Matilda possesses a psychic connection with Miss Honey, having visions of Miss Honey's life with herself in Miss Honey's shoes.

Matilda also possesses psychometry (the ability to gain memories by touching objects). Personality Edit Matilda is shown to be a kind and caring girl who loves her friends. She is very polite, but does become a bit scared when it comes to Miss Trunchbull (which she overcomes later on). She loves Miss Honey more than her parents and her brother Michael. She is also shown to be trustworthy, as seen when she does not reveal that it was her friend Lavender who put the newt (which Miss Trunchbull calls a "snake") in the water pitcher, and Lavender thanks her for that. She is also seen taking good care of things; this is seen when her dad destroys the book she borrowed from the library. She desperately attempts to stop him by saying it's not hers, but despite her great effort, it is still destroyed. In the musical, she has a strong sense of justice and believes in taking action. Study Guide Comparing and Contrasting Matilda the Book vs the Matilda Movie Differences The book's setting takes place in England, the movie's setting takes place in America. The mom is fat and the dad is skinny in the written version. It is just the opposite in the movie. In the book, Mr.

Wormwood rips up Matilda's library copy of The Red Pony. In the movie, it is Moby Dick. For the book, Matilda plays three tricks on her parents. (The ghost, the hat and the hair dye.) In the movie, she only plays two. (The hat and the hair dye.) A boy is thrown out of a classroom window for eating licorice in the novel. In the movie, he is eating M&Ms. In the movie, Miss Trunchbull throws Amanda Thripp by the pigtails into a pile of flowers which she scoops up and brings to Miss Honey. In the book, Amanda lands on the grass, bounces three times and then gets up to return to the playground. Matilda never goes in The Chokey in the book, but she does in the movie. Matilda's powers are thought of as "miracles" in the book, and more as supernatural powers in the movie. Miss Honey's father had nicknamed her "my little bumblebee" in the movie, but in the book he just refers to her as "Jenny." In the movie, Miss Honey and Matilda enter Miss Trunchbull's home to try and retrieve a doll from Miss Honey's childhood.

They are, however, unsuccessful. Matilda then returns once again on her own to retrieve the doll and frighten Miss Trunchbull into believing the ghost of Miss Honey's father has returned, but accidentally leaves a hair ribbon behind. Miss Trunchbull finds the ribbon and then confronts Matilda about it in the classroom. This sub-plot never occurs in the book. Miss Trunchbull threatens to sue Mr. Wormwood for selling her a defective car in the movie version. This never occurs in the book. In the movie, the kids throw their lunches at Miss Trunchbull, they do not do that in the book. At the end of the movie, Miss Honey is made principal. In the book, the job goes to Mr. Trilby - who does not appear at all in the movie. Matilda loses her powers in the book. In the movie, she does not. In the book, it is not mentioned until the end that Mr. Wormwood is actually in cahoots with criminals (he has been receiving stolen cars). In the movie, that portion of the plot takes a more prominent role. The FBI stakes-out the home, and interacts with the family because they believe Mr.

Wormwood has been dealing stolen car parts. In the book, Matilda's family flees to Spain. In the movie, they are fleeing to Guam. Matilda's parents sign her over to Miss Honey with adoption papers in the movie - they do not in the book. slide 6 of 6 To further understand the similarities and differences between Matilda the book and the Matilda movie, consult the other study guides available within this series. ◄ ● ● ● ● ● ● ► See the Cast of 'Matilda' Then and Now See the Cast of 'Matilda' Then and Now May 13, 2013 @ 3:15 PM TriStar In 1996, the beloved Roald Dahl children’s novel ‘Matilda’ was adapted into a movie directed by Danny DeVito. The film starred Mara Wilson, one of biggest child stars of the ‘90s, and quickly became a cult classic. (The underdog tale is now also a Broadway musical.) Check out what the cast of ‘Matilda’ are up to these days below.

Mara Wilson, Matilda TriStar/Mara Wilson Facebook Then: Mara Wilson played the bright, supernaturally gifted and often mistreated title character in ‘Matilda.’ Wilson was already an established actress at the time of the film’s release, having starred in ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ and ‘Mrs. Doubtfire.’ Now: Wilson last mainstream role was 2000's ‘Thomas and the Magic Railroad.’ She graduated from New York University in 2009 and has stated she stopped acting because she no longer enjoys it, although she is still open to doing smaller films or theater. These days Wilson is a writer, and her home is the blog ‘ Mara Wilson Writes Stuff .’ She’s also active on Twitter and has appeared in episodes of the Web series ‘ Nostalgia Critic ‘ and ‘ Nostalgia Chick .’ Danny DeVito, Mr. Wormwood TriStar/Tim Whitby, Getty Images Then: In addition to directing the movie, Devito played Matilda’s dad and crooked car salesman Harry Wormwood.

The ‘90s were a good time for the diminutive actor/director/producer as he starred in movies like ‘Get Shorty’ and ‘Twins’ and was behind the camera for ‘Hoffa.’ Now: Devito plays oddball Frank Reynolds on ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.’ In 2012, he voiced the Lorax in the feature film based on the Dr. Seuss character. He will reportedly star alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger and Eddie Murphy in the upcoming ‘Twins’ sequel, ‘Triplets.’ Rhea Perlman, Mrs. Wormwood TriStar/Getty Images Then: The character of Zinnia Wormwood was played by Rhea Perlman, who is also married to DeVito in real life. Perlman is best known for her four time Emmy Award-winning run as Carla Tortelli on ‘Cheers.’ Now: Perlman recently popped up on the sitcom ‘Hot in Cleveland’ and in the movie ‘The Sessions.’ There were disturbing reports in late 2012 that Perlman and Devito had separated after 30 years of marriage. However it appears they have since reconciled and we are all still free to believe love exists.

Embeth Davidtz, Miss Honey TriStar/Getty Images Then: The role of Matilda’s good-hearted teacher and protector went to Embeth Davidtz. The South African actress’ first American role had been alongside Bruce Campbell in Sam Raimi’s ‘Army of Darkness.’ Now: Davidtz played Mary Parker in 2012's ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ and is recurring character Rebecca Pryce on ‘Mad Men.’ She was also in the Harrison Ford thriller ‘Paranoia.’ Pam Ferris, Miss Trunchbull TriStar/Getty Images Then: Pam Ferris was at her most wicked as sadistic headmistress Agatha Trunchbull. It was the English actress’ first big American role after a run of British TV shows. Now: Ferris also got nasty for her other famous movie role – she was Aunt Marge in ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.’ She will be providing the voice of Mrs.

Claus, a much nicer character, for the upcoming animated Christmas movie ‘Saving Santa.’ Paul Reubens, FBI Agent Bob TriStar/Getty Images Then: It’s always a bit odd to see Reubens not playing his Pee-wee Herman character but that’s what you get in ‘Matilda,’ in which he was an FBI agent. During that era, Reubens also lost the bowtie for films like ‘Buffy The Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Blow.’ Now: You can hear Reubens’ voice on ‘TRON: Uprising’ and he brought Pee-wee to Broadway and pops up as the character on shows like ‘Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.’ Rumor has it he’s working on bringing his bratty altar ego back to the big screen for producer Judd Apatow. Tracey Walter, FBI Agent Bill TriStar/Getty Images Then: The other FBI agent investigating Daniel Wormwood’s shady business practices was played by Tracey Walter.

Walter had been known for portraying henchmen, goons and general creeps in movies such as ‘Silence of the Lambs,’ ‘City Slickers’ and ‘Batman.’ Now: True to type, Walter played a character named Scary Gary in the 2012 film ‘Camp Fred.’ He was also seen on a recent episode of ‘Southland.’ Kiami Davael, Lavender Matilda (1996 film) | Matilda (1996 film) Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Matilda (1996 film) Wiki Share Ad blocker interference detected! Wikia is a free-to-use site that makes money from advertising. We have a modified experience for viewers using ad blockers Wikia is not accessible if you’ve made further modifications. Remove the custom ad blocker rule(s) and the page will load as expected. Matilda August 2, 1996 (United States) Running time Matilda is a 1996 American fantasy film directed by Danny DeVito , based on the novel of the same name by Roald Dahl .

The film was released by TriStar Pictures on August 2, 1996 and stars Danny DeVito , Rhea Perlman , Embeth Davidtz , Pam Ferris and Mara Wilson as the title character. Contents Edit Matilda Wormwood ( Mara Wilson ) is an extremely intelligent girl with a bright personality from an early age, but her spiteful and ignorant parents, Harry ( Danny DeVito ) and Zinnia ( Rhea Perlman ), neglect and even mistreat her. When Matilda reaches four, she discovers the local library and walks there every day to read while her family is out, much to the amusement of the librarian, Mrs. Phelps ( Jean Speegle Howard ), who then gives Matilda a library card . By the age of six, Matilda begins to lose patience with her parents. In retaliation for her father belittling her, she mixes his hair tonic with her mother's hair dye. Harry later takes his family to his workshop, where he reveals that the cars he sells are actually faulty and irresponsibly managed.

Matilda accuses him openly, he belittles her again and Matilda retaliates against her father again by putting super-glue on his hat which he struggles to get off, forcing Zinnia to cut it off. Harry then belittles Matilda again for reading while her family is watching television. As Harry tries to force her to watch with them, Matilda grows very angry and the television suddenly explodes. One of Harry's clients, Agatha Trunchbull ( Pam Ferris ), is the sadistic headmistress of a run-down school, Crunchem Hall. Harry enrolls Matilda in the school, where she befriends several children, but at the same time, learns, especially from Lavender Brown ( Kiami Davael ) and Hortensia (Kira Spencer Hesser), of Agatha's nature and her particularly harsh punishments towards the students, such as the dreaded "Chokey," throwing students out of windows, and forcing a boy, who stole her slice of chocolate cake, to eat a whole chocolate cake in front of the entire student body to make him sick (though he finishes the cake without getting sick).

Fortunately, Matilda's teacher, Miss Jennifer Honey ( Embeth Davidtz ), is a kind and lovely woman who adores her pupils and takes an immediate liking to Matilda for her intellect. Jennifer speaks with Her aunt and requests that Matilda be moved up to a higher class. She pays Harry and Zinnia a visit and requests that they pay more attention to Matilda, but they refuse to listen, effectively making her the only person who truly understands Matilda. Meanwhile, Matilda discovers that she and her family are under FBI surveillance, because of her Harry's shady dealings, and purchasing of stolen goods and car parts, but her parents refuse to believe her, the FBI agents having already fooled them into thinking they are speedboat salesmen. Sometime later, Agatha goes to Matilda's class for a weekly "check-up" and starts to belittle the students. As a prank, Lavender places a newt in her water jug to frighten her. However, she accuses Matilda, and her rage at the injustice leads to her telekinetically tipping the glass over and splashing the water and the newt onto Agatha, frightening her. Feeling sympathy for Matilda, Jennifer invites her to her house for tea.

On the way, they pass Agatha's house, and Jennifer reveals her secret to Matilda: when she was two years old, her mother died, so her father,, Magnus, a doctor, invited his late wife’s stepsister, Agatha, to live with them and look after his daughter while her father was at work. However, Agatha mistreated and abused her niece at every opportunity. When Jennifer was five, her father died of an apparent suicide and in his will, he left all of his assets to stepsister-in-law, leaving his daughter with nothing. Eventually, Jennifer moved out of her aunt’s house into a small cottage she rented from a local farmer. After hearing and the telling the story, they briefly sneak into Agatha's house while she is out, but her unexpected return leads to a cat-and-mouse chase with Matilda and Jennifer only barely escaping unseen. When Matilda's telekinetic powers manifest again during when Zinnia and Harry argue, to which Matilda slams the door in Harry's face, she trains herself to use her ability at her own will, and her first act was sabotaging the FBI agents' vehicle during their attempt to search Harry's garage without a warrant.

That night, Matilda returns to Agatha's house, and from outside, wreaks havoc in an attempt to scare her away. Agatha almost flees in terror, but she finds Matilda's red hair ribbon in the process and realizes that she was there. The next day, she visits Her niece's class again to get Matilda to admit her guilt. But as she begins belittling the children again, Matilda uses her powers to write a message on the blackboard, posing as the ghost of Jennifer's late father Magnus Honey, accusing his stepsister-in-law of murdering him and ordering her to leave town. Agatha is driven insane by the terror and attacks the students, but Matilda keeps them out of harm's way with her powers and the students then force her out of the school by pelting her with food and garbage until she leaves. Magnus Honey's true will is discovered by the police, which named Jennifer as the sole beneficiary of her late father's assets, and she moves back into her home, with Matilda visiting frequently. Sometime later, however, the FBI finally uncovers enough evidence to prosecute Harry, and they prepare to flee to Guam .

They stop by Jennifer's house to take Matilda with them, but she refuses to accompany them, claiming she wants to stay with her, who admits that she has come to see Matilda as the daughter she never had. In that moment, Harry and Zinnia then state that Matilda was the only daughter they had ever had and never understood, but they decide to let her teacher adopt her by signing the adoption papers, this time on good terms with her. Harry, Zinnia and Michael escape, while Matilda lives a happy life with Jennifer, and Miss Jennifer Honey is made principal of Crunchem Hall. Cast Alissa and Amanda Graham, Trevor and James Gallagher as Matilda - newborn Kayla and Kelsey Fredericks as Matilda - 9 months Jon Lovitz as Mickey on The Million Dollar Sticky (uncredited) Differences from the novel Edit The film is with the exception of the antagonist a modernized and Americanized version of Roald Dahl 's novel of eight years earlier. Various plot points are shortened or removed, while new details and sequences are added.

In the film, Matilda's father destroys the library book Moby Dick by Herman Melville along with saying that the book is garbage, while in the novel, the book he destroys is The Red Pony by John Steinbeck out of pure malice as he thinks American authors are morally bankrupt . In the film, Matilda’s brother is turned from an ordinary boy into a bullying child, and her mother shows some humanity by giving her away because she is better suited to a life with Miss Honey, while in the novel, both parents drop her without a second thought. In the novel, Matilda loses her telekinetic powers after the incident with Miss Trunchbull.[ clarification needed ] In the film, she still has them in the end, but almost never uses them. The scene of a boy being thrown out of the window by Ms. Trunchbull in the film shows that he was eating two M&M 's chocolate candies during a literature class while the novel says that he was eating Liquorice allsorts during a Bible study class. In the novel, the chokey is a cupboard with glass sticking out the walls and nails sticking through the door and is only described by Hortensia.

In the film, the chokey was a hole in the wall with nails and glass sticking out through the door and though Hortensia describes it just like in the novel, Matilda is placed there once by Trunchbull (which never happened in the novel). At the end of the film, Miss Honey is made the new principal after Miss Trunchbull vanishes, while the novel reveals that the job goes to Mr. Trilby, the sympathetic Deputy Head, who has a minor role in the novel and does not appear in the film at all. The sub-plot about Mr. Wormwood's shady deals landing him in trouble with the police is hardly mentioned at all in the novel, but in the film, it is expanded and built upon; Matilda notices the two FBI agents spying on them and repeatedly tries to tell her family without any of them believing her that they are (reiterating that no one takes any notice of her despite her trying to help them) cops , with her parents insisting that they are speedboat salesmen. In the novel, Miss Honey's class are five, whereas in the film Matilda and her classmates are six (as stated by Matilda when asked her age).

After Matilda writes the horrifying message on the board, there is a food fight to force Ms. Trunchbull out of school but in the novel, there is no food fight and Miss Trunchbull flees from her house. The part where Miss Trunchbull breaks a China platter on Bruce Bogtrotter after he finishes a whole cake is depicted entirely different. The films shows that she demands that everyone stays in school for five hours to copy from the dictionary as a punishment and they are sent home late at night, but the novel reveals that she furiously orders everyone to leave the assembly room. Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film — Leading Young Actress ( Mara Wilson ) Best Performance in a Feature Film — Supporting Young Actress ( Kira Spencer Hesser ) Music Edit Two songs are featured in the film. One of them, " Send Me on My Way " by Rusted Root , is played twice: when the four-year-old Matilda is left alone at her house, making pancakes , and at the end of the film, set to a montage of Matilda and Miss Honey playing at Miss Trunchbull's former house.

The other song is Thurston Harris 's " Little Bitty Pretty One ", played when Matilda is learning to control her psychokinetic powers. The film's score was composed by David Newman . Reception Edit Matilda received critical acclaim at the time of its release. On Rotten Tomatoes it holds a "fresh" rating of 90%. [1 ] In the United States, the film was a box-office bomb , earning $33 million in contrast to its $36 million budget. [2 ] It fared better during its worldwide release and ended up earning back nearly double its original budget. The film has continued to be a cult classic since its release. Super Reviewer ½ A charming and fun children's movie with some nice lead performances. It's nothing that hasn't been done before, but it does everything well enough to get a solid recommendation from me. It's just an entertaining and light-hearted film that will definitely resonate with its target crowd of younger children, but it made me feel like a kid at the same time. The film is smart and doesn't have juvenile humor or a half-baked story. It's actually a very well told story with a good message and is well directed by Danny DeVito.

There's plenty of memorable characters played wonderfully by some lesser known actors/actresses. Imaginative and unique, Matilda is a movie that children of all ages will likely enjoy on some level, but also happens to be a worthwhile time for the whole family. Josh Lewis Super Reviewer ½ Danny Devito's Matilda is again one of those films that you enjoy when you're young, but once you grow up, you realize that the film isn't what it used to be. I'm not a fan of Mara Wilson, and I think she is very annoying. With Matilda, Danny Devito adapts Roald Dahl's classic children's book to the screen, and he does a poor job at it to. I remember enjoying this film as a kid, but like I stated this is a film that you can only enjoy as a child, and grow tired of when you're older. Mara Wilson is a terrible actress, and I find she has very limited range. As for Danny Devito, he can play the rude, obnoxious type, and he's not very good here. This is a fairly boring film that I lost interest in.

I felt that Matilda didn't hold up the test of time as so many other childhood films have. Matila is a terrible film that isn't that interesting. Only diehard fans of the book will most likely enjoy this, but I didn't. I thought that the film was very mediocre. The films two good actors, Embeth Davidtz and Pam Ferris makes this film slightly watchable Matilda hasn't stood the test of time, and for me is one of those films that you enjoy when you're young, but that you don't like when you're older. The film is pretty pointless and I don't see why this film has gotten praise. The result is a tired film that plainly doesn't cut it, and is over sentimental. I just feel that Matilda is a forgettable family film that is only worth watching once. Mara Wilson is depressing in the lead role, and it's really what makes this film pretty bad. Not a good family film like so many other films. Alex roy

Question: In which classic book and film does the character Miss Trunchbull appear?
Answer: Matilda